History of Sussex and Warren counties, New Jersey, with Illustration and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers, Part 174

Author: Snell, James P; Clayton, W. W. (W. Woodford)
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1140

USA > New Jersey > Sussex County > History of Sussex and Warren counties, New Jersey, with Illustration and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers > Part 174
USA > New Jersey > Warren County > History of Sussex and Warren counties, New Jersey, with Illustration and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers > Part 174

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CALNO DISTRICT, No. 83.

The present school-house in this district was built in 1877. Previous to this the schools, when there were any, for a number of years were taught in private houses. The old Depue school-house, that stood ou the corner of the road west of Daniel M. Depue's, went to decay many years ago, and was abandoned for school purposes. The present school-house stands near the mouth of "Mill Brook" Creek, opposite Apochsanoc Island, and is valued at $700, and the appropriations for this year were $300, with nine months' school. There are 48 pupils in the district of school age and only 30 on school register, and yet only an average attendance of 15. The school-house will accommodate 50 pupils.

BROTZMANVILLE DISTRICT, No. 84.

The present school-house was built in 1878, and is valued at $350, and will accommodate 30 scholars. The last appropriation for this district was $97.96 for four months' school. There are 28 children in the district of school age, and 26 registered, with an aver- age attendance in 1880 of 16, and one male teacher employed.

VII .- CHURCHES.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

The pioneer preachers in this township, as far as is now known, were Manning Force and George Bang- hart, who found their way to the seclusion of Paha- quarry in the latter part of the last century or early in that of the present. When Coonrad Welter located in this valley, in 1839, where he now lives, his house became the preacher's home, and "Coon" Welter's was known as the " Methodist tavern." This was also one of the preaching-places or "appointments" ou Force and Banghart's five hundred mile circuit. The tooting of the "itinerant's tin horn" announced his approach to any settlement, and whether the preach- ing hour was in the afternoon or evening the old " circuit-rider" was always welcomed by a large

gathering of the pioneers for miles around. Style was not in fashion in those days. Women would go on foot for miles dressed in their tidy "homespun" and calico sun-bonnet, and the big girls were not ashamed to dress in the same economical style of their mothers, and, for shoes and stockings, nature fur- nished them in the summer, while in winter the home- made "cow-hides" were not a bit too coarse for the genuine young lady of "ye olden times." As for the men, if they went coatless and hatless, with their torn trousers a few inches too short at either end, and their feet as bare as Father Adam's, no exceptious were taken by any one. They went to church in their "Sunday best" the same as we do. They went to hear the plain unvarnished truth as it fell in thunder- tones from the lips of those old itinerants, and not the fine-spun theories of the present day. But the world moves, and so does the machinery of the church.

No effort, previous to 1839, had been made to erect a house of worship in this township, and it was not till 1840, when Rev. Henry Mains came on this cir- cuit, that the old church and school-house combined was projected.

Mr. Mains was preceded in 1839 by Rev. Baker, who formed a class at Mill Brook, at the house of Coonrad Welter, with Mr. Welter as leader, the mem- bers being Mary Welter, Diugman Decker and wife, Uriah Hill, and Sarah Hill. Of this original class only two still survive,-Coonrad Welter and Sarah Hill.

When the old church was projected it became necessary to elect trustees, when Coonrad Welter, Uriah Hill, Dingman Decker, and Benjamin Shoe- maker were duly elected trustees for the Methodist Society at Mill Brook.

The church was built on the knoll near the grave- yard at Mill Brook, with a stone basement. The base- ment was used for school purposes, in which was taught the district school. The upper or frame part was used for church purposes. As the society in- creased in numbers a uew and modern church was projected in 1860, while Rev. Ambrose S. Compton was on this charge. A building committee, consist- ing of Jesse T. Welter, Coonrad Welter, and others, were appointed, and the present commodious and substantial edifice was erected during the summer of 1860. It is of wood, about 32 by 48 feet, and cost $1500.

The corner-stone was laid by Rev. Cornelius Clark, who also preached upon the occasion, and the church was dedicated in the fall of 1860 by Rev. C. S. Van Cleve, assisted by Rev. A. S. Compton.

The following preachers have served the people since 1837, and very nearly in the order in which they are named :

1839, - Baker; 1840, Henry Mains, William C. Nelson, Henry Beegle and Charles S. Coit, Reuben Vansyckle, William Copp, Abraham M. Harris, John L. Hays, William V. Kelley, Isaac W. Cole, John W.

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PAHAQUARRY.

Young In 1862; George Miller, Isaac Thomas, William H. Dicker- son, In 1866, for three years; J. B. MInthis, In 1869, for three years; George Miller, In 1873, for three years ; J. B. Mathis, In 1×76 ; John F. Dodd, John W. Borrelt, Thomas Hall, and William I. Corson, in 1880.

Present membership is 40. Present value of church property is $2000. The trustees in 1880 were Coon- rad Welter, Philip S. Garis, J. O. Stickles, P. Van Horn, and S. V. Ribble.

VIII .- CEMETERIES.

There are three or four burial-places in this town- ship, and in the one at Mill Brook can be seen the following inscriptions upon some of the tombstones :

Abrahamı Garis, died Sept. 2, 1878, aged 77; Sarah Garla, died May 17, 1876, aged 75; Anna M. Guris, died Oct. 28, 1869, aged 47 ; Susannah Lahenindieu, died Dec. 18, 1858, agod 32; Permella Sutton, died Oct. 24, 1865, aged 46; Mary, wife of Coonrad Walter, died April 8, 1847, nged 42; Elijah Welter, died Aug. 20, 1852, aged 28; Anun E. Van Gordon, died Ang. 22, 1877, aged 23.

There are also two burial-places at Calno, and an Indian burial-place is mentioned in Barber and Howe's "Historical Collections," although the pro- perty mentioned is not now owned by the same par- tics :

" On the farm of Abraham Van Campen, Esq., near the blacksmith- shop of Andrew Ribbles, in the central part of the township, there was once an Indian barial-jdaco. Muny skeletons and relles have been plowed up, such as guns, kettles, blankets, crucifixes, bell-buttons, benils, pipes, etc. A few years since the skeleton of what Is supposed to have been an Indian chief was disinterred. He was found wrapped in n Hanket, in a sort of stone coffin, and buried In his war costume, decked with beuds and all the paraphernalia of suvago splendor. A gun lay on each side with the breech at his feet and the barrel across his shoulders. Over these lay his arms, with the hands folded across his breast, under which lay two spoons crossed. Behind his neck was his tobacco-box and ammunition. Sevoral crosses were placed on hie body ; atuong which, on his breast, was a large brass one, nicely cast, benring on one side the figure of Christ, and on the other one ropresenting lis ascension."

IX .- INDUSTRIAL PURSUITS.

There have been at different periods several indus- tries entered into by various parties with varied sue- cess. Just when, or where, or by whom some of the olet saw-mills were built is a difficult matter to de- termine. There have been two grist-mills in the township, and there are two at present.

The grist-mill at Mill Brook village was built in 1832, by Abram Garis, and is now owned and oper- ated by B. D. Fuller. John Zimmerman is the owner and operator of a saw-mill at Calno. There is also a grist- and saw-mill at Brotzmanville.

There are several old mines (iron, copper, and zinc) in this township, none of which are being worked at present. The "Delaware Water Gap Slate Com- pany" are manufacturing roofing slate in this town- ship, from slate quarried in Knowlton township.

SLATE.

In 1835 a Mr. Snyder commenced the manufacture of school slate in the southwest end of this township, a short distance from Mr. Evans' quarry, over the line in Knowlton. He continued the business till about 1840, when he sold to Dr. Isaac Wyckoff & Son,

who continued the business until the junior Wyckoff, Stephen D., died, in 1861. During this time the fac- tory was operated by water-power. At the death of young Wyckoff the property was purchased by a com- pany, who enlarged the capacity of the works and added steam-power. Since that time B. F. Howey conducted the business until his election as sheriff, in the fall of 1880, when the factory was leased to Charles Simonds, who is the present operator. This is one of the most extensive works of the kind in the United States, and gives constant employment to 50 Inen.

MINING INTERESTS.

The location of the copper-mine holes is near Shoemaker's old " Union Hotel," about half-way from Delaware Water Gap on the south to Walpack Bend at the northeast end of the township, and near Mine Brook. There are several points along the ravine where search has been made for ore. One adit runs in about 150 feet from the ravine on a southwest trend, and then turns to a northwest course. Above this an inclined shaft runs down on the dip of the rock. The sandstone here is of a light-gray color, and much of it is stained by the carbonates of copper. Some of the mine-holes, as before mentioned, are supposed to have been opened prior to 1664 by the emigrants from Holland, who entered this valley from the Hudson River through Ulster County .* The last time any

* Tho following, from " Hazard's Register," throws some light on the early settlements on the Delaware, in this section of country. It is ex- tracted from the letters written by Samuel Preston, Esq., and dated Stock- port, June 6 and 14, 1828 :

" MEENESINK, MINE HIOLES, ETC .- In 1787 the writer went on his first surveying tour inte Northampton County; he was deputy under John Lukens, surveyor-general, and received from him by way of instructions the following narrative respecting the settlement of Meenesink, on the Delaware, above the Kittany and Blue Mountain:

" That the settlement was formed a long time before it was known to the Government in Philadelphia, That when Government was informed of the settlement, they passed a few, in 1529, that any such purchases of the Indians should be vold, and the purchasers indicted for 'forcible entry and detainer,' according to the law of England. That In 1730 they ap- pointed an agent to go nud investigate the facts: that the agent so ap- painted was tho famous surveyor, Nicholas Senll ; that he, James Lukens. was then N. Scull's apprentice to carry chain and learn surveying. That ho accompanied N. Seull. As they both understood and could talk In- diun, they hired, Indian guides, and had a fatiguing journey, there being 10 white Inhabitants in the upper part of Bucks or Northampton County ; that they had a very great difficulty to lond their horses through the Water Gap to Mecuesink Flats, which were all settled with Hollanders ; with several only could they be understood in Indian. At the venerable Sam- uel Dupuis' they found great hospitality and plenty of the necessaries of life. J. Lukens snid that the first thing that struck his admiration was a grore of apple-trees of size far beyond uny wear Philadelphia, That as N. Senli and himself examined the banks, they were fully of the opinion that all those tinta had at some very former age been a deep Inke before the river broke through the monatuin, and that the best interpretation they could make of Meenesink was, the wouter is gone. That S. Dopuis tolil them when the rivers were frozen he had a good road to Esopus (now Kingston) from the mine holes, on the mine rund sumo hundred iniles. That he took his wheat and cider there for salt and necessaries, and did not appear to have any knowledge or idea where the river raa, Philadel- phía market, er being in the government of Pennsylvania.

" They were of opinion that the first settlements of the Hollanders In Meenesink were many years older than William Penn's charter, and as S. Dupnis had treated them so well, they concluiled to make a survey or his cluim In order to befriend him If necessary. When they began to

702

WARREN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

work was done here was about eighteen years ago, by a Philadelphia firm, but very little ore was theu ob- tained.

eurvey, the Indians gathered around; an old Indian laid his hand on N. Scull's shoulder and said, ' Put up iron string and go home ;' then they quit and returned. . . .

"I had it in charge from John Lukens to learn more particulars re- epecting the mine rond to Esopns, etc. I found Nicholas Dupuis, Esq. (son of Samuel), living in a spacious stone house in great plenty and af- finence. The old mine holes were a few miles above, on the Jersey side of the river, by the lower point of Pahaquarry Flat ; that the Meegesink settlement extended forty miles or more on both sides of the river. That he had well knowo the mine road to Esopus, and used, before he opened the boat channel through the Foul Rift, to drive on it several times every winter with loads of wheat and cider, as also did his neighbors to purchase their salt and necessaries in Esopus, having then no other market or knowledge where the river rau to. That after a navigable channel was opened through Font Rift they generally took to boating, aod most of the settlement turned their trade down stream, the mine road became less aud less traveled.

" This interview with the amiable Nicholas Dupuis, Esq., was in June, 1787. He then appeared about sixty years of age. I interrogated as to the particulars of what he knew as to when and by whom the mine road was made, what was the ore they dug and hanled ou it, what was the date, and from whence and how came the first settlers of Meenesink io such great numbers as to take up all the flats on both sides of the river for forty miles.

" He could only give traditional accounts of what he had heard from older people, without date, io substance as follows:

"'That in some former age there came a company of minere from Hol- land, supposed from the great labor expended in making that road, ahont one hundred miles long, that they were very rich, or great people in working the two mines, one on the Delaware where the mountain nearly approaches the lower point of Pahaquarry Flat, the other at the north foot of the same mountain, dear half-way between the Delaware and Esopus. He ever understood that abundance of ore had been hanled on that road, but never could learn whether lead or silver. That the first settlers came from Holland to seek a place of quiet, being persecuted for their religion. I believe they were Arminians. They followed the mine road to the large flats on the Delaware; that smooth cleared land snd abundance of large apple-trees suited their views; that they bona fide bought the improvements of the native Indians, most of whom then re- moved to Susquehanna; that with such as remained there was pesce and friendship until 1755.'

" I then went to view the Pahaquarry mine holes. There appeared to

At this point the old "mine road" terminated, which afforded them an outlet for their ores at Kings- ton, on the Hudson River,-a road 100 miles in length, and which must have been constructed at great ex- penditure of capital and labor. Inasmuch as this road was built before the advent of the first settlers in the valley of the Delaware, and terminated at the mines, it is difficult to conceive what other object than that of conveying the ores to market could have in- duced its construction. The traditions which have always prevailed respecting these mines-that they were opened by a company from Holland at a very early time, and that copper was taken from them- are supported by some historic evidence. In the " Documentary History of New York," we find that "Claaus De Ruyter exhibited in Amsterdam, Hol- land, in 1659, specimens of copper ore taken from the Minisinks in America."

have been a great abundance of labor done there at some former time, but the mouths of these holes were caved full and overgrown with bushes. I concluded to myself if there ever had been a rich mine under that mountain, it must be there yet iu close confinement. The other old men I conversed with gave their traditions similar to Nicholas Dupuis, and they all appeared to be grandsons of the first settlers, and generally very illiterate as to dates and anything relating to chronology.

"In the summer of 1789 I began to build on this place; there came two venerable gentlemen on a surveyiog expedition. They were the late Gen. James Clinton, the father of the late De Witt Clinton, and Christopher Tappan, Esq., clerk and recorder of Ulster County. For many years he- fore they had both beeu surveyors under Gen. Clinton's father when he was surveyor-general. In order to learn some history from gentlemen of their general knowledge, I accompanied them in the woods. They both well knew the mine holes, mine road, etc., and as there was no kind of documents or records thereof united in the opinion that it was a work transacted while the State of New York belonged to the government of Holland; that it fell to the English in 1664, and that the change of gov- ernmeut stopped the mining business, and that the road must have been made many years before so much digging could have been done. That it nudoubtedly must have been the first good road of that extent ever made in any part of the United States."

FRANKLIN.

I .- DESCRIPTION.

THE township of Franklin embraces an area nearly five miles square, including 12,621 acres, the most of which is arable land. It is bounded northeast by the township of Washington, southeast by the town- ship of Bethlehem, in Hunterdon County, west by the township of Greenwich, and northwest by Har- mony. The township, though not among the latest of the county in point of settlement, can claim but little antiquity in point of organization, having been one of the townships erected in 1839. It has three villages within its limits, two of them manifesting

a fair degree of enterprise. The Morris and Essex division of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad passes through the township with a station at Broadway, and the Central Railroad of New Jersey also has a station near Asbury, in Hunterdon County. The Morris Canal traverses the northern portion of Franklin, affording additional shipping facilities. The total amount of real estate in the township, as returned in 1880, was $968,867 ; of personal, $563,895 ; of personal indebtedness, $336,629; leaving the total amount of taxable property as $1,196,133.

The rate per cent, for the last year was $7.55 per thousand.

* By E. O. Wagner.

703

FRANKLIN.

If .- NATURAL FEATURES.

The soil of the township is principally composed of clay with an admixture of gravel. Very little sand is found within its borders. In the south por- tion a ridge of slate about one and a half miles in extent is apparent. The soil is usually productive and well adapted to the raising of most grains, very prolifie erops of which are annually harvested. The surface is undulating, exhibiting while traveling through the township frequent elevations and depres- The widow and one daughter of Jacob Cole now reside in Franklin. sions. The Pohateong range of mountains runs trans- versely across the township, and the Scott's Mountain touches the northwestern edge. The Musconeteong River follows the southern boundary line of Franklin township, and the Pohateong Creek together with minor streams refresh its northern territory. Iron ore has been discovered in some localities in the ground. Mr. Warne had six sons and one daughter, township, but little labor has as yet been expended in its excavation. Numerous limekilns have been built in localities where limestone prevails.

III .- EARLY SETTLEMENTS.

The township of Franklin was settled during the period immediately preceding and following the Revolutionary war. Her pioneers have long since passed away, many of them leaving no descendants in the township. Others who still survive have no recollection of early events, and the task of collecting history in Franklin is, therefore, a difficult one.

Among the prominent, though possibly not among the very earliest settlers, is the family of Lomerson, of German extraction, some members of which left their country at an early date, and, choosing New Jersey as a home, settled in Oxford township. A son of one of the elder members of the family was named Lawrence Lomerson, who came in 1810 to Franklin, then Mansfield, and acquired the trade of a carpenter and millwright.

lle married Elizabeth Caskey, of Hackettstown, and settled upon the farm now occupied by his grand- son, William M. Lomerson. The deed of this land hears date 1799, and conveys 130 acres of land from Philip, Peter, and William Weller and their wives to Christian Smith, who conveyed again to Philip Cline, from whom it was purchased by Mr. Lomerson. Mr. and Mrs. Lomerson had 12 children, as follows : Jane C., William, Robert Caskey, Eliza Ann, Margaret, Julia Ann, James, Rebecca, Mary, Caroline, Sarah, and Lawrence. But two of this number survive, -James and Mrs. Philip D. Weller. The log house which was occupied by the family on their arrival gave place to a substantial brick structure in ISIS, in which Mr. Lomerson resided until his death, in 1864, in his ninety-fourth year.

Christian Cole and wife were early settlers and of German extraction, having located, on their arrival, upon a farm on Scott's Mountain now occupied by John Rinehart, where Mr. Cole resided during his lifetime. He had three sons and one daughter. One

of the sons, named Christian, inherited the property, upon which he resided until his death. He had a family of six sons-John, Stautile, William, Samuel, James, and Jacob-and four daughters,-Margaret, Elizabeth, Mary, and Catharine. Of these children, Samuel, the youngest, purchased the homestead and remained as the only representative of the family in the township. Others removed to the West or settled in Washington and Oxford townships.

Benjamin Warne removed from the southern por- tion of the State at the close of the Revolutionary war and located near Broadway on the farm at pres- ent occupied by N. Warne. He died on the home- stead, and was interred in the Mckinney burial- I but one (Stephen) of whom remained in the town- ship. He had three children, one of whom, Nico- denmus, continued in Franklin, and resides upon the original purchase.

Peter Fritts arrived at the beginning of the present century, and purchased what is known as a portion of the Probosco property, upon which he resided until his death. He left two sons, Benjamin and Jesse, aud several daughters. Jesse removed to Illinois, where he died, and Benjamin resided in the township. HIe left a family of nine children, three of whom are lo- cated in Franklin.

Henry M. Winter was among the earliest and most enterprising of the farmers of Franklin, though the date of his advent is not recalled with precision. He located upon the land now occupied by Moses Wool- verton, upon which he built a substantial stone man- sion, still standing. This he retained for many years as his residence, but finally removed to Washington, where his death occurred.

William Mckinney was of Irish descent, aud on his arrival in the township settled one mile west of Broadway, on the Morris turnpike. On this farm be spent his life, died, and was buried. Among his chil- dren was John, who also occupied the land, and whose remains slumber in the same burial-place.

A son of John, last mentioned, is still living in the township in his seventy-ninth year. The homestead is occupied by John MeKinney, a son of the latter.

Guy O'Brien located at Broadway, where he spent his lifetime. Mr. O'Brien was a teacher by profes- sion, and also represented the legal profession in the township. He was at one period of his career a jus- tice of the peace for Franklin. He died many years since and left three children, one son and two daugh- ters, none of whom now reside in the township.

William Willever was the earliest exponent of the saddler's craft in Franklin. He resided for many years near the Morris Canal, but later removed to Broadway, where his death occurred.

The Beers family, on their arrival, chose land on Scott's Mountain. On the death of the elder Beers

704

WARREN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

the property was divided among the children. The survivors of the family are Elisha and Henry, who both reside out of the township.

John Frome also settled early on Scott's Mountain, as did a family named Rush, a younger generation of whom are still residents of Franklin.

Jacob Weller was a soldier of the war of the Revo- Intion. After serving his country with much credit he retired to Warren County and purchased 1200 acres of land, for a portion of which he paid 75 cents an acre. A portion of this land-probably about 800 acres-was in Franklin, Mr. Weller having located on the farm now occupied by George Thatcher, where he remained until his death. His remains were interred in the family burial-ground. He had 13 children, of whom Jacob, Samuel, and John resided in the town- ship, as did also two daughters. None of the sons have descendants in Franklin. The daughters mar- ried into the Cline, Baler, and Kinaman families.

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History of Sussex and Warren counties, New Jersey, with Illustration and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers, Part 174

Author: Snell, James P; Clayton, W. W. (W. Woodford) Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Peck Number of Pages: 1140

Author: Snell, James P; Clayton, W. W. (W. Woodford)
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1140